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How to Stand Out at Your Next Trade Show

Where else besides a trade show can you potentially stand face-to-face with thousands of future customers, show up your competition, and maybe even walk away having turned a profit? Great success at a trade show, however, requires a lot of planning, hard work, and most importantly, visibility. You want attendees to see and know you before they can prefer you (over competitors).

To help you make a big splash at your next trade show, we’d like to offer the following advice.

Display Your Brand…and Don’t Hold Back

A trade show is a smorgasbord of brand exposure. When you design your booth, go big. Use bright, bold visuals in, on, and around you and your booth. Make it easy for attendees to see and, more importantly, remember your brand. Maximize these real estate options:

Show Off Your Products

Use interactive presentations to showcase the best features and benefits of your product offering. Keep demonstrations brief and concise; you may have only seconds to make an impression on attendees who are trying to cover a lot of ground at the show. Broadcasting over a microphone will allow for more people to hear your polished presentations. At the end of each demo, include a call-to-action that directs spectators to sign up, buy, or share their excitement.

Send Your A-Team to the Show

Current and prospective clients will interact with your staff face-to-face at the trade show booth, so every impression counts. Send those employees with the most product knowledge, professional experience, and eloquent presentation skills. If your company conducts most of its business online, use this opportunity to demonstrate integrity and authenticity to customers. The right people in attendance can make your trade show a great success!

Entice the Masses on Social Media

Leverage your brand’s influence on social media to bring people to you and interact in real-time. Create custom banners with hashtags then post photos and live comments to remind followers where you’re located and to divulge the shenanigans you’re hosting. You can also hold contests for attendees through social media to incentivize a visit to your booth, complete with brand-influenced personalized games and handsome prizes. Keep it light and festive—if you’re having fun, chances are attendees will want to join.

Think Outside the Booth

Most of the action will happen on the trade show floor, but take advantage of other visibility opportunities:

Teach a workshop focusing on a hot industry-related topic

Enter a trade show contest

Sponsor a portion of the trade show

Partner with other businesses—take turns speaking in each other’s booth or cohost a panel discussion

How’s that for a start? Before you deck out your booth and do a sound check, share your comments, questions, and ideas with us below. Good luck and have a blast!